


The Timarion

by Shahburagan



Category: Adastra (Visual Novel)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25277350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shahburagan/pseuds/Shahburagan
Summary: A fanfic of the furry visual novel Adastra, by the Echo Project.Set in the months preceding the MC's return to Earth for eight years, and his time with Amicus. Filling in spots of that time that were glossed over in-game.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 54





	1. An Entertaining Tale of Bipeds

"I _like_ this one," I said, as I stepped foot into the villa, one of the many owned by the imperial family. In the course of our tour through Adastra's cities in the last two weeks, I'd already had the opportunity to stay in two other such villas, all of them located in the placid countryside, removed from the urban centers. And while all of them had been luxurious, this one that I had just stepped foot in was architecturally different, _unique._ Despite being a villa, the outer facade of the wall surrounding the complex was almost fortress-like: although not particularly high or even imposing, it gave of the impression of being more than just a country house. Crossing the threshold of the main entry-gate, I marveled at the mosaic on the floor, presumably depicting a previous wolven emperor and his entourage: it was less realistic, more stylized than any of the similar art pieces I had seen at any other location I had visited so far.

"Really? This one was my always my least favorite one as a pup," came Amicus' booming reply, amusement in his voice, as he came to stand beside me. "I always found it dark and gloomy."

True enough, from a quick view, it lacked the airy, open style that the wolves seemed to employ for their buildings. The two of us walked farther in, side-by-side; there was the usual peristyle, with a sculptured fountain and a garden open to the streaked sky above. Looking around, Amicus' statement seemed further reinforced: the garden was not only fairly small when compared to the previous ones I had seen, but it almost felt swallowed up by the shadows of the colonnade surrounding it. In addition, I noticed the columns themselves seemed less elaborately worked, almost bare and featureless, while the sculpture on the fountain had awkward, stubby proportions.

"What's with the style?" I asked. I was reminded of Earth's own history, or at least of some of what I had studied: of how at some point in the 4th and 5th centuries, the late Roman Empire – wracked by crises and instability – had largely abandoned, or simply become unable to produce, artworks in the classical tradition, their art morphing into simpler, perhaps cruder, forms.

"It's ugly, huh? This place was built by one of the 'bad' emperors, Olybrius. He... hmm," and he put a paw to his chin, thinking, before resuming. "He was _similar_ to Cassius, in a few ways. He thought we should distance ourselves from the Parents, and he tried to reject those aspects of our culture he thought they had influenced most. Architecture, for one," and he punctuated this last part with a motion of his paw to indicate at our surroundings.

"Wow. Yeah, it shows."

"Right? He didn't end up being too popular, though; he wasn't emperor for long."

By this point, I had already learned that the majority of deposed emperors among the wolves had been made to step down, a few of them exiled. Similarly to what we had done to Cassius, I thought; but for the most part, assassinations and outright executions had been a rarity throughout their history. I thought guiltily about how many Roman emperors had been assassinated in varying ways, of the ones that had been blinded and castrated so they'd be disqualified for the emperorship.

We walked further in, into what appeared to be an ample antechamber of sorts. Astoundingly, every inch of the walls was covered in lively, colorful murals, depicting wolves in regal attire and other iconography, illuminated by sunlight filtering in through high, narrow windows that reminded me more of a Medieval monastery than any Roman building.

Similarly to the mosaic at the entrance, the figures depicted by the pieces of inlaid stone and glass were dissimilar to the other murals or sculptures I had seen around the rest of the moon: either in the main imperial palace, in the famed Magnaura of Varro University, in the tree-lined plazas of Adastra City, or in the theatres and glittering hotels of Ad Rotae. There, the art-forms had veered towards an almost Classical form of naturalism and realism, with seeming dynamism capturing motion. Here, the art was expressive, but flat; stylized, but un-natural; colorful, but lacking in realism.

It hit me then: just how similar – almost identical – the art and architecture of this villa resembled that of the Byzantines back on Earth, of the Eastern Romans who had continued on after the fall of Rome and the western portions of the empire. _Just how much influence did the wolves have on Earth?_ I wondered, setting my sights on what appeared to be the most prominent figure among all the others in the murals: a tall, heavyset wolf towering over his courtiers and generals, wearing a crown-like ornament similar to the iconic _stemma_ of the Byzantine emperors; I figured it was likely the image of Olybrius.

"You seem surprised," inquired Amicus with a slightly concerned expression, noticing the intentness with which I observed my surroundings, well-aware of my penchant for learning the history of his people.

"N-No, it's just - it's just," I stammered, sighing with bewilderement. "Would you believe me if I told you that there's stuff back on Earth that looks exactly like _this_?"

"What? No..."

"Yeah! The style looks exactly like art out of the _Macedonian_ dynasty, or like what we have in _San Vitale_ _-_ "

"The what?" he asked, and now he was truly looking at me with confusion, having no idea to what I was referring to.

"It just... It just makes me think that your people were maybe more involved in Earth's history than I thought. No, it's not bad," I hurried to say, as I saw some hurt, and even some defensiveness, flash across his face. I touched his burly arm, continuing. "It's not bad at all. It's fascinating, honestly."

There was a moment of silence, in which he brought up his paw apologetically to gently rustle the hair on my head. I could feel him looking around at the murals, with a curiosity that he likely had never felt for them before. To him, they must have merely been background decoration in an old villa, built by an eccentric, distant ancestor.

"Well," he ventured after a bit, placing an arm around me. "How about I give you a little tour of the rest of the villa? You did say you liked the look of it, and I know there's more stuff like this around the grounds."

"I'd really like that."

"I figured, _historian,_ " he said with his infectious smile, as he nudged me in the direction of the door we had first come from, back towards the colonnade and the peristyle we had seen just a bit earlier. "And, it'll help us work up an appetite for dinner!"

"What about Virginia?" I asked. She had accompanied us to this place as well, although we had left her behind, absorbed as she was in her tablet with "matters of state"; no doubt, she had already retired to her own personal quarters in this villa. It wasn't so much that I wanted her to accompany us, but more that I would rather avoid hearing her scold the emperor beside me (or even myself, as she had on one or two occasions).

He waved his paw dismissively while making a uniquely wolven sound to accompany the gesture. "If she needs us, she can send for one of the drones. For now," and he bent down slightly so that his muzzle was next to my ear, growling playfully, "I'm your tour guide."

I bit my lip and and cast a sidewards towards the columns around us before looking back at him, suddenly feeling giddy from his endearing presence, his high-spirited expression which made him look just the slightest bit dopey without detracting from his handsomeness. It was something I missed seeing, occupied as he was lately with his official duties.

"Alright. Go ahead," I grinned, as he took up his role as my guide, bringing my attention to the mosaic at the threshold of the villa's entrance that we had first seen, launching into his explanation as I listened in rapt attention.


	2. De Administrando Imperio

We sat on a gardened terrace on the third floor of the villa, lounging after finishing off the rustic – though filling – dinner that had been served. Over us and our table stood a wooden pergola, onto which creeping, hanging vines had affixed themselves, although they had been carefully pruned. A little distance away from us, a drone hovered motionlessly over a planting of violet hyacinth flowers, soft ambient music emanating from its speakers.

Tall garden lights placed at regular intervals illuminated the dusk with a soft, orange glow reminiscent of actual torches; the unimpeded view in front of us offered a panorama of rolling hills, cast in a deep blue monochrome by the twilight. There was a slightly cool evening breeze, and it came as a relief that the weather felt much more temperate in this location than the other places I had visited, with their hallmark hot and humid climate.

"So I see you've taken a liking to wine recently," grinned Amicus, as he reached forward to grab more food, the only one who was still picking at the still-warm remains of what resembled roast pheasants and olives served on a rectangular serving plate. "Glad to see you've moved beyond _virdi,_ now you can be my drinking partner too."

"Thanks for turning me into an alcoholic," I joked from my reclined position, as I myself reached for a small ceramic plate on the table, on which several fresh herbs and elegantly sliced pieces of fruit – palate cleansers – had been placed. He wasn't wrong: I _had_ started choosing wine over _virdi_ when offered, and I'd begun having one or two glasses with dinner, most days. I found that it helped take the edge off of my thoughts. Especially during this triumphal tour through the moon, which, really, had barely begun, and despite my lack of actual duties.

"You know, we are in wine country right now. How about asking Com to bring out some of the good stuff, eh?"

I was about to answer with an enthusiastic 'sure', when Virginia, who had kept to herself the entire time, spoke up, looking up from the glow of her tablet with an annoyed expression.

"We have a tight schedule for tomorrow, perhaps it would be best _not_ to drink?"

"We weren't going to go overboard, just wanted to taste it," Amicus offered sheepishly. "Besides, the transport to Lupas isn't expected here until the 10th hour-"

"And there's been a change to the itinerary. The transport is now expected here at the 8th hour."

I sighed mentally at that, downing the last bit of wine I had served myself some time ago; I felt tired from the 'tour' from earlier today (the complex had, in fact, been quite large), and had been looking forward to a more leisurely pace the following morning. On the other hand, the wolf gave an audible groan at hearing this, prompting his sister to shoot him a dirty look. _Don't be such a pup,_ it said.

"On a better note," she continued, turning to look at me with the hint of a smirk. "Neferu will be rejoining us tomorrow."

"Why isn't he going back to Khemia with the rest of his delegation?" came the wolf's exasperated reply, before I had a chance to express my enthusiasm to have his company with us again.

Virginia ignored him, her countenance illuminated by the blue light of the tablet which once again commanded her attention, no doubt in constant contact with various officials, bureaucrats, representatives, dignitaries. By this point, the dusk had given way to the night, such that little could be seen of the hilly panorama in front of us, aside from tiny pinpoints of light scattered here and there, homesteads and hamlets dotting this idyllic wine region, _Lucania._

"There's also the matter that we discussed yesterday, " she continued after some moments before we could restart the conversation, directing herself to Amicus while making a slight nod in my direction. "I think now would be an appropriate time to let him know."

I immediately grew wary at this mention of me.

 _More intrigue?_ I wondered with suspicion; all the while, Amicus, who was reclining in the _triclinium_ directly across from me, replied with an "Of course", and adjusted himself. He was smiling, but he also bore an expression I could not directly place.

_Embarrassment? No...  
_

He said my name, tenderly, and I nodded in recognition; he continued, and I felt he could sense my apprehension: "Listen... I've often wondered that I've made you feel sidelined, ever since becoming emperor," and he glanced downwards briefly, before returning my gaze again. I could see his ears were a bright, burning red. "I wish I could formally make you one of my advisors, you know."

Memories came to me of that day after the second trial, of our dinner at that restaurant in Adastra City; I remembered how he had tried to goad me into nominating myself as one his advisors, although I had refrained from doing so out of sheer recognition of my own inexperience, especially in light of a candidate such as his sister. And yet, a small part of me had wanted it. The events of that night and what had transpired afterwards, however, had pushed it out of my mind. Moreover, whatever communication he had received from the Parents had instructed him to have me keep a _"low profile"_ , for the remainder of my stay on the moon.

"While I can't make you my advisor _now_ , I think we can prepare for the future by giving you an honorific, a court title, if you will. Think of it as both a way to legitimize you and to save a spot for you in my council when... when you come back."

He winced at this mention of our separation, which we had some time ago agreed to not bring up unless necessary, in order to enjoy our remaining time together. I myself felt a familiar pang of anxiety at the reminder, although I quickly brushed it aside as he continued. In fact, I felt some curiousity about this title, even a bit excited.

"Me and Virginia looked up titles from the Imperial registry. I wanted something high-ranking, but unique; she found something I think will suit you quite well. You'll be the first recipient of the title in nearly 500 years. Naturally, there's a ceremony proscribed for this sort of thing, but I think we can do without that, my _Kouropalates."_

 _"Kouropalates,"_ I repeated quietly, getting a feel of the word, which the Lingua had not translated.

"It used to be a title awarded to the most senior of the Triumvirs in the past, although it became a high honour and court title later on. Do you like it?" he asked, almost timidly.

"Yeah," I laughed, unable to restrain myself. "I love it."

His face lit up, causing me to blush with some embarrassment, fully aware that Virginia was observing this increasingly intimate exchange between us.

"I'm glad! A toast then? To the empire's new _Kouropalates?"_

 _"_ Alright, alright," I grinned as I reached forward to fill my glass with red wine _,_ feeling elated, even proud, at this 'promotion'. _And I was just a student when I was brought here,_ came the thought, and there was some pride in it, but more than that, incredulity.

As I raised my glass in the air to match his own, I noticed Virginia had raised hers as well; she had laid her tablet aside, for the moment.

Our seating had been arranged in such a way that we were far enough that our glasses could not actually touch; however, we raised them all the same. The emperor made his toast, loudly, boisterously; afterwards, we all took our drink, me and him both downing the entirety of our glasses, earning a side-glance from his sister.

_Kouropalates... I like the sound of it._

* * *

The suite that had been set aside for the two of us once we retired for the night was both luxurious and spacious, even more so than Amicus' own quarters in the main Imperial palace.

It was illuminated by those luminescent crystals the wolves seemed to employ; at our behest, they had been dimmed to produce a soft, ambient glow that gave the impression of flickering candlelight. Directly over our bed was a domed ceiling with an engraved mosaic of Olybrius _Pantocrator_ , and the little pieces of stone and glass that comprised it reflected the low light with a subdued, though fiery, reflection, like undulating gold.

Amicus lay supine on the large bed of the suite, his eyes closed and expression relaxed as I rubbed his firm belly in that way I knew he enjoyed. Aware that he was drifting off to sleep, I stopped, and rolled over to his left side.

"Mmmmh?" he groaned without moving, annoyed I had stopped before he had fully fallen asleep, just before I could command the Com to turn the lights off.

"Oh come on..."

He replied with more groaning, begging noises, that he accompanied by baring his mid-section in true canine fashion. I got up from my position at his side, and once again began with the belly-rubbing; almost immediately, low growls of pleasure began coming out of his parted muzzle.

"I love you," he uttered sleepily.

"I love you too," I replied, as I continued to rub him until he had fallen asleep.

At that point, I lay down at his side, grabbing at his furred, sculpted arm; I muttered "Com, off", which was followed by a complete darkening of the room as the crystal light-sources were extinguished. His gentle breathing was the only sound in the room – aside from the ever-present hum of the cooling unit from the vents –, and I found myself lulled by it as I drifted off, comforted by the warmth of his body and the smell of lavender and his musk.


	3. De Mirabilibus Mundi

The next morning began with a bustle of activity.

We were roused from our sleep by one of the drones, and the shrill sound of its alarm and electronic voice shattered through what otherwise would have been an idyllic morning scene: the soft light of _Vita_ peering in gently through the metal latticework covering the arched windows, brightening the floor of sienna-tinted marble and rose-coloured porphyry.

The two of us showered together for the sake of quickness, and once we had finished, I combed his fur, and applied the signature lavender perfume to his body. I noticed a certain playfulness in him as I finished; I knew it stemmed from our combined nudity, and though I was tempted to tease him, I kept myself from doing so.

Once we had dressed, we made our way to the entrance of the villa, the ever-present drones hovering beside us and repeating the automated reminder that our transport was waiting for us, and that Virginia was already on board; not only that, but it proceeded to remind Amicus that _"it would be advisable"_ to read up on the various reports she had forwarded to him, which only made him groan with distaste.

We passed the complex grounds and its murals hurriedly, eventually coming out through the main gate of the villa to a flat, open-spaced clearing surrounded by rows of gnarled olive tree analogues. A rustically paved road led away from the villa's entrance, disappearing into the trees, where it eventually connected to one of the _viae publicae_ that criss-crossed the moon and connected its cities and settlements.

In front of us stood an aircraft, the one that had been sent to retrieve us and take us to our next destination, the city of Lupas.

It resembled a helicopter in shape, although it lacked rotor blades completely, given that it achieved flight through gravitic manipulation, as opposed to mechanical means; its main body was sleek, with flowing curves reminiscent of some marine creature, while bearing bronze ornamentation in the form of volute-like flourishes of foliage. It emitted no noise to indicate it was running, and it was only because of previous experience with wolven aircraft that I was sure it was functioning.

Climbing aboard, we found ourselves in an ample space containing comfortable row seating, with apparent capacity for six persons. As with most technology employed by the Imperial family, the vehicle was automated: there was no pilot, although there still remained a space at the front of the ship with controls, allowing for manual control if desired.

One of the seats was already taken up by Virginia, who gave us a glance and an obligatory "'Morning," as she daintily brought up to a small portion of food from a fixed table, on which one of the drones had assembled a simple breakfast.

Me and the emperor sat on the row directly opposite to her, side-by side, as the door closed behind us automatically.

"We're ready, Com. Take us away."

"Please set parameters for villa security before departure, Amicus."

"Non-lethal measures. Establish a 350 metre radius."

"Yes, Amicus. Estimated travel time to Lupas: one hour and fourteen minutes. Initiating departure."

The craft began its ascent, which I could see from the windows as the ship lifted itself from the ground: because it operated using gravitic means, inertial effects were minimized, such that there was hardly any accelerational push, vibration, or even noise. Given its ability to largely insulate itself from the bulk of exterior gravitation, the craft began its flight across the moon smoothly, without any of the turbulence or rumbling of an airplane.

As I watched through the windows, I felt his arm settle behind me; he began to run his paw through my hair, idly, affectionately.

"I hope you like Lupas. It's not as... scenic as the rest of the other cities."

"It's an industrial hub, right?" I asked, using the occasion to try to put my studies into Adastran history and culture to some use.

"Yes. I wouldn't call it ugly, but it is fairly utilitarian. Gonna be a bit of a contrast, especially right after Ad Rotae."

"I'm sure it'll be fine. I haven't seen anything outright ugly the entire time I've been here."

"Oh, is this appreciation for wolven aesthetics I'm hearing?"

" _Someone's_ letting it go to their head–"

"I'm joking!"

"Sure," I teased back, with a chuckle. "I just hope when you visit Earth someday, you'll find it as pleasant as I've found your moon."

"I'm sure I'll love it," he offered, and I began mentally cycling through places I would most like to take him to, though the day would be nearly a decade away; while dwelling on this, a question came to my mind, one which I had surprisingly never thought to ask him.

"When you – umm – _took_ me," I began, deciding not to use the word 'abducted', "what was your impression of my planet?"

Amicus was quiet for a moment, as though he was trawling through his memory for details of that night. From the corner of my eyes I noticed even Virginia's interest must have been piqued, for there was a slight flicker of her ears in our direction, although she showed no other sign she was paying us any mind.

"Well," he finally spoke up, "I remember the cityscape seemed to stretch out indefinitely. That, and all the lights, were a bit disorienting. But what I most remember were the _scents_ in the air. It was–" and he gesticulated, trying to find the words that matched his slightly abashed expression.

"It-it was like _naptha_..."

I cringed at this, feeling ashamed that his brief exposure to my homeworld had been nothing but an assault of light pollution and smog on his senses. I brought my hands to my eyes in exasperation and even some shame. I realized I'd wanted this wolf to be impressed by my planet and species, in the same way I'd been by his moon, his empire, his _Galaxias_.

"Oh damnit."

"What?"

"It's just embarrassing that that was your first impression."

"Well, there were other scents," he offered, as I looked at him skeptically.

"There were! They were more faint, but they were there, a multitude of them. Not all of them as overpowering , or – err – unpleasant. Besides, I've only been on your planet for a total of a few minutes, I'm not going to judge it so harshly."

"Thanks. I'll show you around, eventually."

"I recall your immediate impression of here wasn't as pleasant either, heh."

I considered his words, remembering how I myself had felt overwhelmed when I'd left the starship for that first time, how at one point I'd even briefly thought that the moon's atmosphere might be inhospitable to me.

I couldn't help but laugh a little at this.

"Alright, alright, you got me. Still, you better not judge me too much when you visit – I'm not an emperor, or an important person back home."

"Not yet, anyways," he teased, and I punched his broad shoulder playfully, although it belied some of my anxiety, knowing he had knowledge of _something_ that the Parents hadn't deigned to show me yet. However, it quickly receded, and I let the thought drift off, so as to not let it impinge on this tour and my sincere enjoyment of it.

* * *

The rest of the trip was relatively quiet. Amicus spent the time on his tablet, reading up on the reports his sister had forwarded him earlier. Every now and then he would look up and ask me my thoughts or opinions on certain matters: I didn't consider my responses to be particularly insightful, although the fact that his sister – the experienced administrator – didn't correct me or intervene was mildly encouraging.

Towards the end of the trip, when Com announced we were some twenty minutes away and had been cleared to land in the city, the two of them got into some discussion over last-minute changes to the scheduled programme.

I took the opportunity to peer out the windows. Below our descending craft stretched out Lupas, nestled in what appeared to be an alpine valley. Even from our height, I could discern that it lacked the stateliness of Adastra City, or the opulence of Ad Rotae; in fact, it almost looked as though many of the buildings were pre-fabricated, or, more accurately, had been mass-produced.

This fact didn't detract from its apparent orderliness and overall neatness: it had been laid out in a rectangular grid, symmetrically. But many of the buildings seemed industrial in nature, although as a whole it lacked the griminess, outward signs of pollution, or even the expected dreariness associated with similar centres back on Earth. There was greenery interspersed among the urban landscape, as well as a few plazas that I could observe from above.

With the same speed with which it had previously taken flight, the craft seamlessly descended onto the center of the city, coming to a rest atop a landing pad resting on what appeared to be the roof of a civic building complex, one that bore all the Roman-like trappings of wolven architecture.

Com's voice came on through the in-built speakers within the craft:

"Destination reached. Security drones have secured the site in advance, Amicus. Please be reminded that the _s_ _alutatio_ with the Lupas delegation is due to begin in forty-five minutes."


	4. Byzantium Endures

The three of us shortly found ourselves in a large reception hall, which clearly resembled the throne room back in the main Imperial palace, although it was smaller in scale; additionally, there were differences in certain architectural and decorative details. 

Amicus sat down in a facsimile of the throne, which was raised above floor-level in a stepped dais; Virginia stood at his right, and myself at his left, while drones floated a few metres both in front and to the back of us, and I could see at least four additional ones hovering by the entrance doors of the chamber, where a handful of bureaucrats stood in deferential positions. 

This was the _salutatio_ : the formal, ceremonial reception which the triumvirs held on the occasion of an imperial visit, and which ushered in any official business. I was rapidly beginning to become familiar with these formalities: there had been one in Adastra City, and one in Ad Rotae, and I expected we would have to repeat the process in the remaining cities left to visit. In addition, Virginia had shared with me the official book of ceremonies – a dry, long manual titled the _De_ _Ceremoniis_ _aulae_ _Lupae_ _–_ which painstakingly laid out the proscribed list of rituals and court ceremonies to be observed at Imperial functions. 

Presently, the entrance doors opened, and three wolves – the triumvirs of Lupas – entered the chamber, flanked by a handful of attendants. The triumvirs approached the raised dais and throne slowly, stiffly, while their attachés bowed respectfully and remained near the entrance, where the civil servants stood. 

The triumvirs advanced, then came to a halt just a few steps before where the drones hovered. They then performed the _adoratio_ _,_ prostrating themselves in front of the emperor on the throne in a show of their supposed loyalty and deference to him and his office. 

Through it all, there was silence, which I always found uncomfortably long: I thought of Neferu, who, similarly to myself, shared the distaste for the entire ceremony, viewing it as nothing more than wolven penchant for melodrama and meaningless show. The two of us both came from worlds where such autocratic displays had largely disappeared, and that was something we could bond over, as much as it peeved Amicus. 

I felt some relief at the thought that he’d be joining us again, and continued to silently observe the elaborate ceremony playing out in front of us. 

Eventually, the three triumvirs stood up from their adoration of my wolf, whereupon the most senior of them took a few steps forward past the drones and just before the dais itself – symbolically entering the sanctum of the emperor’s person – and spoke up, following the traditional formula: 

“ _Ave,_ World-honoured one,” he began, with another bow, before listing off the long list of the emperor’s official titles: _praefectus_ _parentibus_ _,_ _auctoritas_ _galaxias, lupus_ _venerabilis_ _, princeps_ _civitatum_ _, magister_ _militum_ _, dominus_ _noster_ _, quaestor_ _sacri_ _palatii,_ etc. 

My Lingua did not translate these titles, although by now, I understood what they meant, the symbolism with which they had been imbued by millennia of tradition. 

_This gets repetitive fast,_ I mused, staring out at the small crowd of wolves in front of us, most of them with their heads cast slightly downwards in a traditional sign of respect. Admittedly, it had been more impactful the first time I'd witnessed the ceremony.

As I thought this, the senior triumvir finished his delivery: he gave another bow, and slowly retraced his steps so as to fall in line with the other two triumvirs. As if on cue, one of the attendants who had remained near the entrance stepped forward slowly, ceremoniously, bowing at regular intervals: this was the official panegyrist of the triumvirs, and it was only with effort that I stifled a groan of as he approached us, stopping before the drones, facing us. I knew full well what was to come: a panegyric, a long, extremely exaggerated speech showering excessive praise on the imperial office (or on whoever else he was tasked with doing so). 

“Most Worshipful Emperor, you assumed power so early in life, and already surpass those great leaders of our empire in its olden days: Drusius, Licinius, the elder Carbo. So it is necessary, young emperor, that you recognize the signs of this great destiny of yours," began the panegyrist – a pompous-looking wolf who seemed to be Amicus’ age – with that flowery, melodramatic style of speech the wolves seemed to love, but which only came off as artificial and insincere to me through the Lingua. 

I put a hand to my mouth, so as to not chuckle, as he continued, listing Amicus’s supposedly immeasurable beneficent qualities. 

_To be fair, he is a pretty benevolent guy,_ I thought, allowing myself a small grin as the speech went on. 

For a second, I locked eyes with Amicus as he cast a sidewards glance, sitting on the throne; however, before even a moment had passed, his eyes had once again focused themselves on the audience in front of him, rather than myself. By now, the panegyrist had moved on to heap praise onto Virginia, expounding her “chasteness” and her “prudency”, as well as her “dutiful, virtuous obedience” to her male siblings. It was embarrassing to hear the blatantly sexist statements (though she seemed completely nonplussed), but my relief came from the fact that the speech would likely be over shortly. 

However, I suddenly heard the word “ _Kouropalates_ " being expressed, and I was unable to keep the surprise from my face. Involuntarily, I raised my eyebrows, just as I felt the heat rising to my face. 

“ _Kouropalates_ _,_ human, you display the same bravery and fearlessness as your emperor, in such a way that, to all those who would conspire against him, you dutifully act against! Though an abandoned Child, you, son of Earth, have undeniably distinguished yourself: and in turn, your emperor rewards and exalts you out of his great magnanimity, and the Parents themselves offer you their graces and all-encompassing protection.” 

It was odd to hear myself being talked about in such a way. I had not been mentioned in the other panegyrics I had heard in previous sessions, and I assumed it was the granting of the title that had resulted in my official recognition; I also realized that if this was the case, I must have been a last-minute addition to the speech, given it had only been last night that I’d been bestowed with the position. 

Still, I found it extremely embarrassing, and was relieved when the speech once again moved exclusively to the topic of Amicus, after which point he wrapped up to the effect of invoking the will of the Parents, and statements regarding the certainty that his reign would be long and glorious. 

Having finished, the panegyrist gave a bow, and – without turning his back to us – retraced his steps, merging once more with the crowd at the back. 

“Esteemed emperor,” resumed the eldest triumvir. “With this display, your people acclaim and welcome you; may it please you to recognize Lupas as the foremost of the cities in our empire, and her people the most devoted of your servants.” 

Having said that, the three triumvirs once again performed the _adoratio_ ; however, this time, their act of prostration was also performed by the aides and bureaucrats behind them. The solemnity of the occasion hung in the air, the silence at its heaviest as Amicus drew out the moment as was expected of him. 

Presently, his voice resounded through the hall, cutting through the tension: “It pleases me.” 

Having heard this, the triumvirs and the audience began to stand. The triumvirs gave one last, deep bow, and then turned around, walking normally to and through the doors of the hall. As they exited, the crowd followed them, each performing a quick bow in our direction before passing through the threshold. The crowd quickly thinned out, until the room once again stood empty aside from ourselves and drones. 

“ _Finally_ ,” sighed Amicus, the relief in his voice clear. 

* * *

Following the conclusion of the ceremony, the three of us adjourned to a spacious side-chamber decorated with frescoes, screens mounted on the walls which displayed imagery of Lupas and its surrounding environs, alternating in slow succession. A number of lounge-like chairs and accent tables were spread throughout the room. 

“So what’s next?” I asked, although I had a good guess of what the itinerary was, knowing for certain I wouldn’t be able to come along. 

“Well, the first order of business is a visit to one of our Imperial workshops,” Amicus replied, sounding eager. “It’s one of only two facilities in the empire that can manufacture our drones." 

"Fascinating. A high-security facility?” 

“Very much so!” 

“And after that?” 

His smile faltered a bit, and he took on an exasperated look. 

“A meeting with military officials, one of the proconsuls. Now that’s going to be-” 

“Difficult, at best,” interjected Virginia, though she was smiling in her typical uncaring way. “I’m sure you can understand why.” 

I could. 

_A female advisor, an emperor with ‘problematic’ preferences,_ I realized. Once more, thoughts of deposed Roman emperors flashed through my mind: the infamous Praetorian Guard killing ruling emperors, acclaiming new ones – popularity contests in all but name. 

“It won’t be dangerous, will it?” I asked, abashed because since my earliest days of arriving on the moon, I had been assured that things were not nearly as chaotic or violent as the Roman Empire from Earth. However, given the events that had recently occurred after my arrival, I no longer gave such assurances much credence. 

“Not at all,” interjected Amicus, sensing my worry and offering me a reassuring smile as he explained. “There’s no danger. But the military is one of the more, hmm, _respected_ institutions in the empire. So whatever position they are perceived to take on a matter often serves to form public opinion. We’ll have to tread delicately.” 

"Well explained,” said Virginia, although there was no hint of sarcasm or teasing, seeming genuinely pleased at her brother’s analysis of the situation. 

"I’m sure it’ll go great. After all, you have the patience to deal with that ceremony over and over again...” 

"Haha, that’s the easiest part of the day!” 

“I wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face, in your place, _Most Worshipful Emperor._ ” 

“Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy that part of the speech dedicated to you?” he teased, with a mischievous side glance. 

“God, no. It was embarrassing.” 

“Better get used to it,” he laughed. “I wouldn’t have any difficulty thinking up-” 

“Amicus,” came a drone’s voice, cutting into the conversation. “The route to the Flavian workshops has been secured. Per your instructions, sufficient drones have been left here to secure the building. Additional drones have been dispatched to secure airspace for Neferu’s arrival here, as well as the Spalatum villa.” 

“Thanks, Com,” Amicus said, as Virginia stood up from where she had been seated. 

He turned to me, slightly squatting to come to my level, and embraced me. I hugged back, taking in his presence, which I know I’d miss the moment he walked out. 

“I’ll see you later, alright?” he whispered into my ear. 

"Okay. Good luck with everything,” I replied, placing a light kiss on his muzzle, which elicited an affectionate chuckle from him. With that, we separated, and the two wolves began to walk away, heading for the door. 

“We’ll send for you and Neferu once we’ve finished,” came his voice, as they rounded the corner of the door and disappeared, flanked by a drone. 

“Can’t wait,” I called out.


End file.
